VTAG VICTORIAN TRANSPORT ACTION GROUP Website: www.victransport.com.au Email: [email protected] Facebook: www.facebook.com/victoriantransportactiongroup
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows
A land-use planning based approach
April 2021
BRINGING SUNSHINE out of the SHADOWS ABOUT THE VICTORIAN TRANSPORT ACTION GROUP ...... 4 Sunshine - a victim of bad planning ...... 5 SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 7 1. SUNSHINE AS AN ECONOMIC HUB ...... 10 Identifying the issues ...... 10 Sunshine as the capital of Melbourne’s west ...... 11 The Brimbank Council: Sunshine Priority Precinct Vision 2050 ...... 12 2. DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS ...... 15 Current developments ...... 15 The Sunshine CBD ...... 16 Albion Quarter ...... 16 Ballarat Rd/ SunRise ...... 17 Westside ...... 17 Sunshine and the Regional economy ...... 18 Nearby precincts ...... 18 St Albans ...... 18 SHWEP ...... 18 Sunshine North/ Luma/ Sunshine Energy Park ...... 19 Cairnlea ...... 20 Braybrook regeneration project ...... 20 Solomon Heights ...... 21 3. SIX TRANSPORT UPGRADES NEEDED BEFORE METRO ...... 22 Existing services have poor frequency ...... 22 1. Improving train services ...... 22 2. Route 500 Sunshine to Airport SmartBus...... 25 3. Creating an effective bus network ...... 26 4. Local bus network reform and simplification...... 28 5. SmartBus to Highpoint, Essendon, and the Eastern suburbs...... 29 6. Walking and cycling access improvements...... 30 4. SUNSHINE AS A FUTURE TRANSPORT HUB ...... 31 Failure to comply with the Transport Integration Act ...... 31 4.1 Sunshine after the Metro Rail Tunnel (2025-2029)...... 32 4.2 Sunshine after the Melbourne Airport Rail Link (2029) ...... 33 4.3 The proposed Albion viaduct ...... 34 4.4 Sunshine North to the Airport ...... 37 4.5 Sunshine and the Western Rail Plan ...... 38 4.6 Sunshine and the Suburban Rail Loop ...... 39
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 2 of 42
4.7 Sunshine and standard gauge passenger services ...... 39 4.9 Sunshine and freight...... 40 4.8 Expand and reorganise trams in the west ...... 40 5. CONCLUSION ...... 42
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 3 of 42
ABOUT THE VICTORIAN TRANSPORT ACTION GROUP This submission is made by the Victorian Transport Action Group (VTAG), an independent forum of transport professionals that meets monthly to discuss the challenges of transport in Victoria. Members have a range of expertise across transport, planning, State and Local Government, IT and the environment, including past employment with Government, Government Agencies, Department of Transport, VicRoads and Academia. VTAG has an extensive network of connections in local government, planning and public transport that it can access for insights into the complexity of transport issues and provide options for equitable, practical solutions. Members are familiar with the challenges of developing and implementing transport plans across all transport modes and understand the difference between blue sky ideas and the reality of funding, political interest, and community support. We are particularly conscious that limits on funding necessitate placing priorities on projects; and that in turn leads to communities competing to achieve outcomes that satisfy their needs.
Contact Mike Reece
Mike Reece, Secretary, Victorian Transport Action Group Email: Phone 0417 544 685
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 4 of 42
Sunshine - a victim of bad planning Sunshine is not an “integrated transport-focussed metropolitan activity centre.” It is a mess - a victim of raised expectations, poor planning, and undelivered promises.
It started out as a major industrial complex built around regional rail access for delivering the famous Sunshine Harvesters and for processing barley and wheat coming back from western Victoria. Worker Housing for railway workers, factory workers and new arrivals soon sprang up around Sunshine, including a ‘garden-city’ estate in the neighbourhood now known as Albion featuring the heritage listed ‘HV McKay Memorial Gardens’.
Public transport, like most of the western suburbs, remained a low priority for decades. Car oriented shopping complexes were built, away from the station and surrounded by ugly car parks.
The Sunshine and Joan Kirner Hospitals were developed two stops north in their own precinct. Victoria University is split between two campuses in Sunshine and St Albans.
Recent transport planning has hyped a transformation of Sunshine as a SuperHub for seven separate rail services, (two of which now seem unlikely to pass through Sunshine): 1. The Regional Rail Link with additional tracks CBD to Sunshine and new line via Tarneit and Wyndham Vale opened in 2015. 2. The extended and electrified Sunbury line which will take Metro trains from 2025. 3. The Melbourne Airport Rail Link (MARL) – due to open in 2029. 4. The uncommitted Western Rail Plan to electrify the services to Melton and Wyndham Vale – (these major centres are now served by Ballarat and Geelong trains respectively); 5. The $2 billion “Faster train” to Geelong was to be routed through Sunshine but seems more likely to run via Werribee. 6. The western leg of the SRL was to run through Sunshine – but now seems destined to terminate at Melbourne Airport. 7. Providing a standard gauge passenger platform to enable transfers 8. Standard and broad-gauge freight services, including a new link to the proposed Western Interstate Freight Terminal (WIFT) in Truganina West. Sunshine has been designated a National Employment and Innovation Cluster (NEIC) – one of just seven in Plan Melbourne 2051. A draft Framework Plan produced by the Victorian Planning Authority, has not triggered any major commitments or funding to implement its findings.
In 2018 Sunshine was also designated by the State as a Priority Precinct. The precinct has since been transferred to the Department of Transport, and the focus narrowed to Sunshine Station as a “Transport SuperHub” rather than integrated land use and transport planning for the whole precinct. Now it seems recent decisions have even shelved any significant upgrade of Sunshine or Albion stations, and no plan to integrate it with the business districts and the heritage residential communities each side of the Station.
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 5 of 42
In line with the government designation of Sunshine as a NEIC, Brimbank Council has promoted the vision of Sunshine as the “Capital City of the West”. However there is no supporting State strategy for how to cement that role, apart from the transport proposals. These have increasingly stepped back from the original vision of a transport SuperHub providing an interchange and helping create a local visitor economy.
Action is needed to resolve Sunshine and Albion’s planning problems and define its role against competing centres in the same corridor – Watergardens, St Albans, and Footscray – which all appear to be growing strongly. Sunshine itself is effectively four separate precincts as set out in the Sunshine Activity Centre Structure Plan 2014 and the local connections between these, in particular bus services, remain quite weak.
Despite these prestigious designations, very little is being done to examine the entrenched planning problems of Sunshine/Albion – or to engage local residents in the planned changes to their two stations. Sunshine is seen as a “transport issue”, not as a major planning opportunity.
Fig 1: The Melways view: The Sunshine activity centre spreads over 5 kilometres
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 6 of 42
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
There is great disappointment that the government’s rhetoric that Sunshine would become a “Transport SuperHub” looks like coming to nothing. The upgraded Metro trains to Sunbury and the Airport Rail Link will simply share the existing platforms 1 and 2. No known improvement is planned for the station until the deferred Western Rail Plan (electrification of trains to Melton and Wyndham Vale) – when it appears an additional two platforms may be built sometime in the 2030’s .
There is no visible public engagement currently being done by any of the relevant government agencies – DOT, DJPR or the VPA on shaping the development of Sunshine as a designated Metropolitan level Activity Centre. Work is apparently limited to issues about the rail connections. Even the replacement of the almost derelict station at Albion is no longer on the agenda. Instead there is a proposal for a huge rail viaduct which will blight the historic Albion precinct and exacerbate the east/west split across the whole precinct.
The comparison to the metropolitan level activity centres in the eastern suburbs – Box Hill, Ringwood, Dandenong, and Frankston – is quite stark.
They are all far better planned, more compact, better served by public transport with major activities – businesses, universities, and hospitals – in the heart of their centres. Attracting people generates vitality and growth in services.
Recommendations
Sunshine needs a dedicated Development Board – as has been established for Fishermans Bend - to drive integrated planning and implementation of land use and transport planning opportunities. This has worked successfully in the ACT and is needed due to the disconnected efforts of different agencies and the sole focus on transport project construction.
There is an urgent need for a detailed implementation plan for the core of Sunshine to ensure it is properly integrated with the planned new Metro service starting in 2025 and the Airport Link planned to commence in 2029. The Development Board should:
1. Conduct a proper public planning process to assess the options for the Airport Rail to consider the lower impact of an at grade or tunnel solution compared to the expensive and visually intrusive proposal for a 2-kilometre viaduct. These options would be more closely aligned with the Vision 2050 plans for the Albion Quarter precinct.
2. Identify the sites available for significant commercial and residential development as part of an integrated development plan to achieve the objective of creating doubling the current population of 65,500 and attracting 30,000 extra jobs.
3. Fund the necessary infrastructure to see the precinct thrive based on the previous draft VPA Plans and the Brimbank Council “Sunshine Priority Precinct Future Vision 2050” (developed with extensive business and community inputs over two years at the Victorian Government’s request).
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 7 of 42
In support of these growth goals, there are many practical steps that can be taken to improve the transport connections whilst the major projects are being designed and built:
SHORT TERM UPGRADES
4. Upgrade the frequency of train services to every 10 minutes on the Sunbury line and every 20 minutes on the Melton and Wyndham Vale lines.
5. Greatly improve signage for wayfinding and connecting services between Metro, V/Line and bus services at Sunshine station.
6. Alter timetables so that Bendigo V/Line trains stop and do not run express through Sunshine.
7. Establish an express bus from Sunshine to the Airport to build patronage and travel patterns in advance of the ultimate Airport Rail Link in 2029.
8. Undertake a regional review of bus routes in Brimbank with a view to injecting more resources to upgrade several key services (listed below) and to extend operating hours for other routes
9. –Extend some bus routes to run the length of Hampshire Rd with one route extended to run direct to the Sunshine Hospital precinct.
10. Realign the 903 Smartbus to run from Essendon to Highpoint West and Sunshine.
11. Invest in substantial upgrades in local parks and shared paths, including the completion of the proposed green spine along the western side of the rail corridor
MEDIUM TERM UPGRADES
12. Scrap the planned 2-kilometre rail viaduct and design an at-grade or tunnel solution for the junction for Airport Rail Link north of historic Albion
13. Commit to building a new Albion station, in its current location with improved exit at both the north and south end, to provide a better connection to the proposed development on the adjacent State-heritage listed John Darling Mill site and the northern part of the Sunshine CBD, where further substantial development opportunities exist.
14. Set a clear timeframe for electrification of the Melton and Wyndham Vale lines and use GAIC funding to bring forward the construction of promised additional stations on those lines to service these growth corridors.
15. Make provision for the additional two platforms required on the west side of Sunshine station after going through a detailed planning study to resolve the long-term relationship between the station and the two halves of the Sunshine CBD
16. Construct a new underpass at the north end of the Sunshine station to better connect the two halves of the CBD and promote growth in the Westside precinct.
17. Consider developing a new station at Sunshine North to service the Luma/ Sunshine North precinct between Albion and Ginifer stations.
18. Consider the development of a network of trams in the western suburbs, centred on Highpoint West and linking to Sunshine along Ballarat Rd (replacing the 220 bus)
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 8 of 42
19. Reactivate the original SRL plan for a complete loop around Melbourne, with a service from Melbourne Airport to Newport via Sunshine with stops every 2 kilometres
20. Clarify the medium-term plans for freight to access the western suburbs (in advance of the ultimate construction of the Outer Metro Ring Road and rail line)
Fig 2: The Google Earth view: A jumble of housing, commercial and transport
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 9 of 42
1. SUNSHINE AS AN ECONOMIC HUB Identifying the issues
The transformation of Sunshine depends on planning it as a GO TO destination - not just as somewhere for people to GO THROUGH.
If engineers fix their eyes only on Sunshine Station and the cheapest way to put in additional lines, planning will again fail Sunshine.
At best, this will create an isolated interchange lacking a soul as it did when the Regional Rail program put in place Station solutions that have divided and downgraded one side of the CBD area. It should be remembered that the south west side of the CBD was the place where a young naval officer - Prince Phillip - came and stayed in 1945 when visiting Melbourne as back then he felt it was a place “to have a jolly good time”.
The employment opportunities recognised when designating Sunshine as a NEIC will go to waste unless land use issues and local access problems are grappled with and future development used to reshape the precinct around the two stations – Sunshine and Albion - that serve the core of Sunshine precinct. As explained below, St Albans and the Sunshine Health, Wellbeing and Education Precinct (SHWEP) should be planned as an adjacent major precinct in its own right.
Sunshine is a significant employment centre with some 30,000 jobs spread over four sub- precincts. It has 3 shopping malls, upgraded schools, surrounding residential areas scattered community facilities, open space of varying quality and recent street improvement works.
Further investment and growth will only be attracted to Sunshine if there is a commitment by government to deliver on the previous planning and provide the non-transport infrastructure needed to make a major urban centre work effectively. Victoria is badly lagging in transport- oriented development planning, commonly being given centre stage elsewhere.
In Brisbane, there are such plans for Woolloongabba, Yeerongpilly and Greater Springfield and other smaller developments which have strong links between transport and urban renewal.
In NSW, the Sydney Future Transport Plan 2056 and the Greater Sydney Region Plan: A Metropolis of Three Cities were released on the same day as integrated documents. Detailed precinct development plans, based around Sydney’s new Metro lines currently under construction, include Chatswood, North Sydney, Sydney Olympic, Parramatta and many other places. The overall concept is seeing Sydney as three interconnected cities, each with an internal structure built around Major Activity Centres.
The best parallel to Melbourne’s Sunshine problem could be the recently released Canterbury- Bankstown Connective City Master Plan. This sets out a 15-year vision for how these existing centres are to be developed as a corridor to overcome past fragmented development. This is integrated with the development of a new Metro link and shows the sort of integrated thinking needed to make the most of existing centres in Melbourne’s west.
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 10 of 42
Implementing such a plan needs a Sunshine Development Board to oversee and be given the lead role to coordinate the diverse government agencies that currently dabble in the area.
A well-planned move of government departments and services - Justice, Health, Disability, Education, Transport and Employment - all sectors where significant disadvantage occurs across Melbourne’s West, as well as private and not for profit sector organisations, would drive significant change and transformation. It is understood that to date VicRoads is the only local government agency in contention. Sunshine as the capital of Melbourne’s west
Sunshine is located 11km west of Melbourne’s Central business district at the meeting point of several key transport routes. Sunshine’s CBD has about 70 hectares of available development land to build a 21st-century central hub,
Sunshine is one of Victoria’s industrial heartlands, which developed around (and is named after) the Sunshine Harvester works, once the largest industrial complex in the Southern Hemisphere.
Today it has a range of thriving businesses to build upon, with well-developed service centres, a range of important regional institutions and a diverse local population.
Sitting at the junction of key rail and road networks, Sunshine is highly accessible and is well placed to provide major facilities to service the growth corridors to Melton, Sunbury and Wyndham. It is central to the employment precincts in western Melbourne, and close to Melbourne Airport with an existing freeway, and a proposed rail link.
The trend for decentralisation away from the CBD has been accelerated by COVID-19 which will further benefit locations like Sunshine with a wide catchment of good transport services. Having quality office space closer to where the workforce lives will prove a key population growth driver, underpinned by good housing affordability and availability. The proximity of Sunshine Hospital and Victoria University provides a strong basis for higher level services.
However, this momentum may evaporate as the government retreats from its Sunshine Station SuperHub commitment and sends mixed messages about its commitment to non- transport related infrastructure to underpin the growth of Sunshine
The Sunshine National Employment and Innovation Cluster (NEIC) is envisaged as a major jobs centre of the Western Melbourne economy. It is intended to build on a substantial array of existing business services and large institutions to become a major provider of teaching, healthcare services, medical research, education, transport, business and retail services.
The VPA produced a draft Framework Plan for the Sunshine NEIC in March 2017 – but there has been little progress on this in the last four years. There has not been a final Framework Plan released, nor has there been any funding to implement the key recommendations.
The public narrative has been dominated by the transport projects which happen to go through Sunshine. This has not been for any lack of effort by the Brimbank Council or community groups such as the Greater Sunshine Community Alliance and Albion Ardeer Community Club.
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 11 of 42
Public consultation efforts by the State have been fragmentary. There is a degree of scepticism that major changes are unlikely to happen because past big promises have not been delivered.
The VPA Sunshine draft Framework Plan boldly stated:
The Sunshine National Employment and Innovation Cluster is proposed to become a major jobs centre of the west’s new economy. It can build on a substantial array of existing business services and large institutions to become a major provider of teaching, healthcare services, medical research, education, transport, business and retail services
Fig 3: The VPA draft Framework Plan for Sunshine
Source: VPA Despite a few vague references to public transport, the VPA NEIC plan does not propose any substantive upgrades to transport within the precinct to achieve the objective of strengthening Sunshine and the surrounding areas as an employment growth zone.
As a plan it remains entirely disconnected from the current thinking that the Department of Transport is doing about Sunshine station and the various services that will run through it. The Brimbank Council: Sunshine Priority Precinct Vision 2050
Brimbank Council has recently released is Vision 2050 for the Sunshine Priority Precinct called _ Leading with Vision: A city ready to shine. This identifies 15 key aspirational outcomes for positive change and paints a picture of what Sunshine could look like in 2050.
The Vision statement identifies five sub-precincts around the “Sunshine CBD” with Vision statements for each. It includes St Albans as part of Sunshine but does not separately reference the Luma/Sunshine North precinct. Taking a Brimbank municipality view of the world, it does not
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 12 of 42
include the Braybrook Renewal area (in adjacent Maribyrnong) and the links to Watergardens, Highpoint West, Footscray, Deer Park and Caroline Springs are mentioned only briefly.
The 15 Outcomes can be grouped as follows: Central Sunshine 1. A truly mixed use, vibrant Sunshine CBD 2. Sunshine super hub is an integrated development, knitting both sides of the rail corridor together, creating a true hub. 3. Sunshine CBD is an international, regional and local visitor destination. 4. Hampshire road is a civic heart that celebrates our multicultural community. Adjacent sub-precincts 5. Albion quarter: the redeveloped Albion station is the catalyst for the transformation of the northern end of Sunshine CBD. 6. Sunrise district: a university city focussed on research, innovation, study and enterprise. 7. Ballarat road growth and activity corridor. 8. Sunshine Energy Park is transformed into one of the western region’s premium parks. 9. The Sunshine Health, Wellbeing and Education precinct (SHWEP) is the premier location for health facilities, wellbeing and education serving the western region. Broader Sunshine region 10. A 21st century zero-emissions sustainable precinct. 11. Community focussed neighbourhoods. 12. A green and cool network of waterways, parks and pathways. 13. An ‘inner city’ multi-modal transport network for the west. 14. A thriving St Albans community. 15. State leading circular economy, industrial and manufacturing destination.
This list omits three significant precincts, immediately adjacent to the Sunshine CBD which have major integrated development potential – the Sunshine North/ Luma precinct, the Westside of Sunshine Station (the historic centre of Sunshine) and the Braybrook Regeneration Area.
The grouping of these outcomes and the definitions of the precincts is a little unclear. In many ways the detailed descriptions overlap, which creates some confusion. The SHWEP precinct lies north of the Ring Road and is largely distinct from the Sunshine CBD and its two stations. It actually interacts more strongly with the Victoria University campus at St Albans and St Albans CBD – which collectively deserve a growth plan of their own.
The issue of the broader Sunshine region deserves a broader framework, that encompasses Watergardens, Footscray, Highpoint West, Brimbank Central and Deer Park. These centres are all interconnected and provide the choices for new developments in Melbourne’s north west.
This submission looks critically at the proposals in relation to central Sunshine and its immediate precincts, which collectively could grow and merge into the sort of metropolitan activity centre that is envisaged to counterbalance Dandenong, Frankston or Box Hill in the structure of our city.
The Brimbank Council’s Sunshine Priority Precinct -Vision 2050 document was only recently released, after two years of consultation at the request of the Victorian government. The heavy
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 13 of 42
reliance on the development of a Sunshine SuperHub means that it is almost out of date before the ink has dried, because that concept appears to have been significantly watered down by the government.
It is a long-term vision – looking 30 years into the future. As a consequence many of its aspirations are very ambitious and assume a level of high-density development that is hard to see, given the current spread out structure of the precinct.
Essentially Sunshine spreads over 70 ha – half the size of the Melbourne CBD but currently has less than 1% of the 18 million square metres of buildings that exist in central Melbourne
Growth in Sunshine is necessary, and highly likely – but it is also important to be realistic and plan for what is feasible in the next 10 years (by the time the Airport Rail Link opens) and what the longer-term opportunities beyond that might be.
Fig 4: The key sub-precincts around Sunshine
1. Sunshine CBD (Hampshire Rd and surrounds) 2. Albion Quarter (station, heritage garden village and northern CBD) 3. Ballarat Rd / SunRise precinct (Victoria University & Justice precinct) 4. Westside (Old civic centre and residential area on south west side of the Station) Adjacent precincts Sunshine Energy Park Sunshine Health, Wellbeing and Education precinct Sunshine North/ Luma Braybrook Regeneration Area
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 14 of 42
2. DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS Current developments
Brimbank Council estimate $160 million in new projects are built or under construction with up to $520 million in the planning pipeline. Critically, these are dependent on a clear message from government about the future of Sunshine.
Major projects in this pipeline include:
• The new $52 m Council offices and $25 m VicRoads offices which are both now occupied – with the VicRoads building now having two storeys added. • 21,000 square metres of commercial space is either under, or has finished, construction over five CBD sites. • 121,000 square metres of commercial space has received planning approval there over 13 different sites. • proposals for four new hotels with 500 rooms. • the redevelopment of the heritage John Darling Mill and silos at Albion by Pelligra Group. • a $25 m upgrade to the law courts and a $35 m VU Skills hub. • a new 15,300-square-metre office building above the shopping centre. Sunshine Plaza Corporate will include a 120-child early learning centre and a 667-car parking basement.
Fig 5: The new Sunshine Plaza is one of several big developments planned for Sunshine.
The VPA has made the Braybrook precinct regeneration one of its “Fast track” projects for 2021.
Development Victoria is well advanced with its Luma project, creating 300 new homes on the site of the former City West Water site, and undertaking major upgrades to Stony Creek.
Other Brimbank funded projects include a $10 m upgrade of Hampshire Rd as a pedestrian and bus priority corridor, the $3.5 m Sunvale Park and various other shared paths and park upgrades. It should be noted however, that the standard of open space and the extent of the bike path network is well below the standard enjoyed in eastern suburbs.
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 15 of 42
The Sunshine CBD The centre of Sunshine currently barely warrants the title of being a true Central Business District.
The broader Priority Precinct is spread across 70 ha. The Sunshine CBD radiates off the 1.5- kilometre spine of Hampshire Rd. There are three substantial shopping centres – Sunshine Market Place and Sunshine Plaza (midway between Sunshine and Albion stations) and City West Plaza (closer to Albion). These are surrounded by car parks and mainly poor standard buildings.
Sunshine struggles to assert itself against the more compact competing shopping destinations in Footscray, Watergardens, St Albans, Brimbank Central and Altona Gate It has so far only attracted a few office development or medium density midrise apartments. This is in contrast to other centres a similar 11 kilometres from central Melbourne – for example Elsternwick, Caulfield, Camberwell or Heidelberg.
There are however many development opportunities. A number of permits have already been issued for substantial developments and there are numerous potential development sites, including a lot of land used for low density car parking.
The drawback is a loss of confidence in the development sector about how committed the government is to Sunshine as a major destination. The level of investor interest is directly linked to the ambition outlined in the Sunshine SuperHub announcements. The more these are downgraded, the more likely investors are to look elsewhere in the west to see growth.
A Sunshine Activity Centre Structure Plan was adopted in 2014 and there is flexibility to incorporate additional high- rise buildings that add density to the centre of the precinct. As described below, a redesign of bus routes could capitalise on the recent works to turn Hampshire Rd into a pedestrian and bus corridor, linking the different components of Sunshine. Albion Quarter
The importance of the Albion Precinct set out in the Sunshine Activity Centre Structure Plan as a centre for development of the northern half of the CBD cannot be underestimated. Nor can the dampening impact of a massive rail viaduct on the amenity of this precinct be dismissed. To succeed, Sunshine must overcome its poor reputation on liveability.
There is an Albion railway station, but it is very run down, including garden maintenance being undertaken only by a local ‘Stationeers’ community initiative.
The ‘jewel in the crown’ historic HV McKay Memorial Gardens is, except for an ever-at-risk footbridge, cut off from the City Centre and the train stations.
The Pelligra development of the heritage John Darling Mill site could transform the western side of Albion and open up new connections into the historic Albion Village model township – creating direct linkages down to the Kororoit Creek green corridor.
A second green spine is proposed to run along the western side of the rail line, connecting the station to the Barkly Reserve, Mackay Memorial Gardens and the Chaplin Reserve - locals refer
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 16 of 42
to this is ‘between the Silos’, that is the south Silos and northwards to the Albion Darling Mill silos.
The Chaplin Reserve area is privately owned with a development plan but should include a green corridor through the proposed housing to provide local amenity. At present, a children’s pocket park is a planned addition,
The absence of a connection from Chaplin Reserve, over the Melton line to continue the green spine further south, past the railway station to the J.R.Parsons Reserve is a significant oversight. Ballarat Rd/ SunRise
These are nominated as separate precincts in the Vision 2050 plan, but are essentially the one area, comprising the northern half of the CBD.
There are important people generators, including the VU campus and the justice precinct to the east, but these are disconnected from the southern half of the CBD and the bus links between the sectors are poor.
There is a significant traffic problem with the complicated intersection of St Albans Rd, Ballarat Rd and McIntyre Rd that creates congestion and a negative impression. The proposed link from St Albans Rd to Foundry Rd could greatly improve internal circulation but is at risk from the 2 km rail viaduct being planned as part of Airport Rail.
Solving the access issues, could stimulate the growth of the VU Sunshine campus and create a more unified view of the CBD as a single entity. Westside
The area west of Sunshine station is significantly depressed due mainly to its isolation by the rail corridors that hem it in. This was historically the active centre of Sunshine in its industrial days but many buildings have now fallen into disrepair.
The substantial area between the rail line and Kororoit Creek needs rejuvenation and has significant opportunities if the barrier between it and the CBD can be overcome. The shopping centre needs a clearer focus and more street level amenity to attract people back.
The most immediate solution would be to build a replacement underpass from the end of City Place to the bus interchange plaza on the east side of the station. This would provide far easier , access and be more disability friendly than the current overpass 100 metres further south.
This precinct will be significantly impacted by the additional two tracks and platforms needed to enable the Western Rail Plan. Even though this next stage of development has been pushed off to the indefinite future, the design should be resolved now, land reserved, and the development of Westside planned around the ultimate outcome. To the extent that some properties need to be acquired, this should occur earlier rather than later.
The issue of parking needs to be addressed. Recent station developments have seen them isolated in a sea of car parking. This would be a very bad outcome for Sunshine. Every other metropolitan centre has their station closely integrated with shopping, bus and pedestrian
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 17 of 42
facilities. Car parking should get a low priority around such an important station, particularly given there are significant areas of land which are poorly utilised within 200 metres or at more appropriate stations along either line. Sunshine and the Regional economy
The opportunity for development at Sunshine needs to be analysed as part of the development of the western suburbs as a whole. In particular, the “connectedness” that will come from the opening of the Metro Tunnel, the Airport Rail Link and ultimately, the Western Rail plan.
Fig 6: Sunshine in the context of surrounding centres showing the rail links
Nearby precincts The VPA draft Framework Plan also identifies other sub-precincts where there are opportunities for growth. Some development is happening, although disconnected. It also drew a wide boundary, incorporating SHWEP and St Albans – realistically not a part of the Sunshine hub although definitely a part of the overall picture for development in the western suburbs.
St Albans
St Albans is a significant activity centre in its own right but is too distant to be planned as part of Sunshine. It has close links with Victoria University and SHWEP and the maturing residential area of Cairnlea. It has benefitted from the recent grade separation.
SHWEP
The Sunshine Health, Wellbeing and Education Precinct (SHWEP) is envisioned as an integrated health and education sub-precinct based around the Sunshine Hospital. This lies just under 1 kilometre from Ginifer station and some 4 kilometres north of Sunshine Station. However, there are both rail lines and freeway that block access between them.
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 18 of 42
The SHWEP precinct aims to be recognised as a centre for excellence in medical treatment, health research, wellbeing, training, and education. The precinct will provide for the needs of all workers, users and visitors to the precinct. Key facilities in the precinct include: • Sunshine Public Hospital. • The Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital (2018). • The Western Centre for Health, Research and Education (incorporating the University of Melbourne and Victoria University. • Furlong Road level crossing removal and Ginifer Train Station redevelopment (2017) • $140 m Sunshine Private Hospital (complete in 2022).
The SHWEP Management Board was established in 2013 to advise Council and coordinate key institutions and the State Government.
A draft plan for the precinct was completed by the VPA in June 2018 working with close collaboration with Brimbank City Council and government agencies.
The draft plan was never completed and the SHWEP Board has since been dissolved, without the issues it identified being resolved.
This plan was intended to identify gaps in infrastructure to unlock investment and jobs and promote the precinct for training facilities, medical businesses, student and visitor accommodation, recreational trails and parklands, additional shops, cafes, and restaurants.
Sunshine North/ Luma/ Sunshine Energy Park
Development Victoria is currently developing the former City West Water site on St Albans Rd, branded as Luma Living. This part of Sunshine North lies just south of SHWEP and is sandwiched between the Western Ring Road and the Jacana rail corridor.
The development will provide approximately 300 townhouses ranging from 1 to 4 bedrooms aimed at first home buyers, key workers to support the neighbouring health and education precinct, young professionals, couples, growing families and established families.
This includes project management of the adjacent Upper Stony Creek improvement works that will upgrade a significant open space asset.
Arguably, given that Albion and Ginifer are 2.3 kilometres apart, there is scope for an additional station to service the isolated area of Luma and Sunshine North. The average distance between the 45 train stations between 10 and 15 kilometres from Southern Cross is 1.2 kilometres 1– which is consistent with stations having effective walk-up distance of around 800 metres.
The area north of Stony Creek is already developed housing around the Albion North Primary School and would be easily accessible to a station at Luma. It would also benefit from the proposed increased frequency of buses direct from Sunshine to the SHWEP hospital precinct.
1 Distances between Melbourne railway stations – a quick map | Maps by Philip Mallis
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 19 of 42
Cairnlea
Development Victoria is also delivering the final stage of the Cairnlea residential development, west of Ginifer. It is the site of the former Albion Explosives Factory, a Commonwealth Defence facility that operated from the early 1940s until the 1980s.
Cairnlea has been successfully remediated and developed into 3,100 residential lots with almost a third devoted to public open space and grassland reserves. It is the key urban renewal project in the Sunshine precinct.
It sits in a triangle between St Albans to the north, Brimbank Shopping Centre to the west, Deer Park to the south west and Sunshine to the south east. Cairnlea residents are dependent on having local bus services, yet there is currently only one route – the 423 running from Brimbank to St Albans via Ginifer. This only runs every 40 minutes off-peak and 20 minutes in the peak and stops at 9:00 pm – which means that anyone going out, even locally has to walk home.
Braybrook regeneration project
The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) is leading the Braybrook Regeneration Project, is one of the VPA’s Key Fast track projects, as part of the COVID 19 response. This area lies just east of Sunshine and west of Footscray and Highpoint West but is not well linked to these centres.
The Braybrook and Sunshine area have been a natural community of interest for many decades with new local government boundaries only recently creating artificial municipal boundaries on maps that do not exist in reality. There is considerable potential for redevelopment of existing poor-quality housing and for increasing densification. However, attracting new residents depends on upgrading local facilities and transport services through this precinct.
Fig 7: The Braybrook regeneration area – east of Sunshine
This project includes the preparation of an Urban Design Framework (UDF) to support the regeneration of the Braybrook area south of Ballarat Road. It aims to: • provide greater diversity of housing options. • ensure future growth contributes to an attractive neighbourhood with a strong sense of community. • enhance local centres and community services. • improve active transport and public transport options. • enhance street tree planting and create better public open space.
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 20 of 42
Solomon Heights
VPA also identified the Solomon Heights area as a significant opportunity for development of new commercial activities to increase local employment. This undeveloped area lies south of the Jacana rail corridor on land above the Maribyrnong River valley.
It is industrially zoned and was subdivided in the 1920’s; but several issues made it unattractive. The area includes some endangered species, which need protection by addition to the Maribyrnong Valley Parklands. Development is unlikely until this issue is resolved as Supreme Court action saw the area’s future development directed to private interests.
Fig 8: Solomon Heights – north of Sunshine
The concept of the Melbourne Airport Rail Link (MARL) depends on express services to provide a reasonable travel time into the city. MARL is therefore less suited to having local stops – such as might otherwise be contemplated at Solomon Heights and Sunshine North (McIntyre Rd).
There is an active debate urging the government to include a MARL stop at Keilor East (on the other side of the Maribyrnong River) and/ or to change the alignment to make a stop at Airport West possible. Neither of these changes seem likely given the government’s statements.
However, the Suburban Rail Loop western leg should provide stops at all four locations to connect this whole sector of north west Melbourne to Broadmeadows and all points east.
The government seems to be backtracking from its original commitment that SRL would be a complete loop around Melbourne. It is now saying that the MARL and the Wyndham Vale electrification will “substitute for the Western leg of the SRL”. Both of these are radial rail services and not part of a true orbital line (such as the London Overground). The lack of local stops would also severely limit the usefulness of such an arrangement – particularly as it would take two changes of train to get from Broadmeadows to Deer Park or points west of that.
MARL planning here represents a very narrow view and ignores opportunities for substantial development along the corridor as part of the Sunshine NEIC supported by a true western SRL.
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 21 of 42
3. SIX TRANSPORT UPGRADES NEEDED BEFORE METRO Existing services have poor frequency
Sunshine already has a number of train and bus services mostly only operating every 20 minutes. However, unlike the Dandenong and Frankston corridors nothing runs every 10 minutes outside of peak hours. There are a few bus routes such as the 216, 220 and 410 that run every 15 minutes on weekdays and as infrequently as hourly on weekends.
The 903 SmartBus is the highest profile route but its 30-minute weekend frequency and less useful destinations make its benefits less than they should be. However, it is the only route that travels both sides of central Sunshine in a pattern that should be replicated more widely.
Fig 9: Sunshine currently has NO 10 minute “turn up and go” public transport routes
1. Improving train services
There are several improvements to train services that could easily be made without having to wait for the opening of the Metro Tunnel and future planned changes to operations.
The Sunbury line upgrades to support more frequent trains are well advanced and not dependent on the tunnel completion.
Sunshine Station rebuilding and revamp.
Sunshine station was substantially rebuilt as part of the Regional Rail Link project. It comprises two electrified platforms for Sunbury and Bendigo services and two non-electrified platforms for Melton, Wyndham Vale, Geelong, and Ballarat services.
There is a modern concourse connecting the platforms, but also serving as the only link between the east and west sides of the rail corridor. It can therefore get congested at busy times with pedestrian movements, many of which are unrelated to train services. A new underpass (replacing one that was filled in) is a key upgrade that is required. Local walking and biking connectivity in the area remains poor, and signage at the interchange is poor – both for
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 22 of 42
wayfinding within the station and advice on the next trains and bus services. Directions to the right bus bay are confusing.
There are separate indicators for Metro and V/Line trains – despite the fact that Sunshine is the key interchange between these networks for people not going to the Melbourne CBD. For unexplained reasons, Bendigo V/Line trains currently run express through Sunshine. This could be easily changed to improve connections right now.
The west side of the station has huge development potential if connectivity was better (after making provision for future expansion of the station).
Multiple entrances and connecting walkways, at both ends of the platform, are essential to maximise walking catchment. Escalators and lifts need to be added to cater for expanded patronage. The options for a better design are discussed in detail below. As there are no major changes proposed for Airport Rail Link services, the improvements to Sunshine do not have to wait another eight years.
Albion Station upgrade.
Currently the station is in a very poor state, the north end of the platform has literally collapsed and is fenced off. The exit tunnel to the north is narrow and in poor repair, leading out to two car parks and a distant bus stop. Albion station is surrounded by car parks and hemmed in by the junction of Ballarat and St Albans Rds.
However, the precinct has significant development potential, including a current major planned redevelopment of the State-heritage listed John Darling mill. The car parks have great potential for development, although the current plan for the Airport Rail Link to pass above Albion on a 25-metre-high viaduct would permanently scar the local amenity and deter any investment.
The proposed viaduct proposal will apparently leave Albion station, fairly much in its current state. There is much local pressure for a new station closely resembling the Vision 2050 developed over 2 years of community consultation to be part of the planning – but this will only be in eight years’ time and there are various options for where it might be located. This should not stop short term measures to repair the existing station, improve amenity and provide better waiting conditions for those using connecting Ballarat Rd buses.
Any new station should have an additional southern entrance and connection onto Foundry Rd to make Albion a second station for the Sunshine CBD. The northern exit should connect more directly to Ballarat Rd buses.
Metro Trains every 10 minutes to Watergardens.
Currently, off-peak trains as far as Watergardens are only every 20 minutes (day), 30 minutes (night) and 40 minutes (Sunday morning). They only run to Sunbury every 40 minutes. These poor frequencies mean waiting time can exceed travel time for many trips.
The service frequency should match what the Frankston line has had for several years, i.e. a 10- minute daytime (Mon – Sun) service with a 20-min maximum wait early morning and at night. Establishing this frequency in the near future , would encourage people back to public transport
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 23 of 42
and develop travel patterns to build patronage before the Metro Rail Tunnel opens. This would be a strong message to support growth of the Sunshine CBD and other centres on the corridor.
V/Line trains every 20 minutes to Wyndham Vale.
Current waiting times can blow out to as much as 40 minutes at night and on weekends.
There is no timetable for delivery of the Western Rail Plan, which includes the electrification of the line to Wyndham Vale (shared with Geelong express services). Given the government’s commitments to the Metro Rail Tunnel, MARL and SRL – this plan sits at the back of a long queue – and conflicts with the commitment for much faster trains to Geelong.
The first upgrade should add services so that waiting for a train to Wyndham Vale never exceeds 20 minutes. This can be achieved operationally by building the promised station at Black Forest Road with three platforms to enable the turnaround of Wyndham Vale trains, without slowing the Geelong trains.
Significant funds have been collected in Growth Area Infrastructure Contributions from developments in northern Wyndham and Melton– and half these funds are dedicated to public transport upgrades – including funding new stations, (such as the GAIC funded Cobblebank station on the Melton line). Unfortunately, very little of the GAIC funding has been spent. DOT intends that additional promised stations at Truganina, Tarneit West and Sayers Rd will have to wait until electrification, apparently because of conflicts with Geelong express trains.
V/Line trains every 20 minutes to Melton.
The January 2021 timetable added many trips to Melton to take advantage of completion of track duplication and the opening of Cobblebank station. However, some long gaps remain, and weekend service is not good.
Melton V/Line trains should run at 20-minute intervals during the day and 40-minute intervals for weekend and evening service. This will enable Ballarat trains to run express from Melton to Sunshine, improving their travel time. Unfortunately, the January 2021 timetable did the opposite with almost all Ballarat trains now slowed to stop at all stations, including Deer Park, which is also served by frequent Geelong trains. Additional stations at Mt Atkinson and Paynes Rd are also destined to wait until electrification and quadruplication of tracks from Caroline Springs junction to Sunshine. This will also trigger need for another two platforms at Sunshine with two new electrified tracks to the city. (See Western Rail plan below)
Fig 10: Confusing Sunshine station bus directory – you need to know your bus number first
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 24 of 42
2. Route 500 Sunshine to Airport SmartBus.
The Airport Rail Link won’t open until 2029. A better connection does not have to wait for eight years. A high-quality limited stops fast bus should be established now to establish travel patterns early and increases the attractiveness of Sunshine as a destination for business.
This service would slash airport travel times for a large slice of western Melbourne including the fast-growing Wyndham, Melton and Geelong areas with connections from regional trains.
Fig 11: Time savings available with an Express Airport Bus
VTAG has produced a detailed proposal for the Route 500 bus, arguing that the cost of providing it should be considered part of the “early works” for MARL. Given that MARL has an $8-13 billion budget, the estimated cost of a net $10 million a year to provide the bus service is very minor.
The 40-to-50-minute bus travel time estimate from Sunshine is conservative and is higher than the longest car travel time indicated above. It could be more during peak times but is likely to be less at most other times. The Airport bus works best as an express, but this doesn’t preclude a stop in SHWEP, Airport West and the industry on the perimeter of the Airport. This service might continue as a local feeder after the MARL opens in 2029.
The original western leg of the Green SmartBus was proposed to provide such a connection. The current Western Skybus is high cost ($22.50); only serves three stops in Wyndham and has poor frequency. It does not serve the function of the SRL and does not connect to Sunshine.
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 25 of 42
3. Creating an effective bus network
Sunshine currently has a significant number of bus services which mostly come to a single point at Sunshine station. However, the frequency is poor and the routes sometimes indirect. In particular the routes do not suit the dispersed nature of the Sunshine CBD or take advantage of the way Hampshire Rd has been upgraded to give preference to pedestrians and buses.
Fig 12: Current bus routes serving Sunshine
Note the inset showing the tight concentration of routes at Sunshine Station from the west and the limited connections to the core of Sunshine, the shopping centres and the University.
NEICs such as Sunshine are more spread out and require services that link through the area, rather than going to a single point, such as just a bus interchange at a station. Whilst it is important to have easy access from the bus interchange to the station, there is a more effective way to connect the precinct.
The core of Sunshine needs to be better connected with routes that travel through the CBD without simply running into a terminal. This avoids the need for many passengers to take two buses to get to their destination or to sit waiting for the bus to leave the interchange.
Ideally, routes should be paired up or extend into surrounding areas where more intensive residential development can support the cluster’s employment and other functions.
The theory is illustrated in the following diagram, which shows the advantages of more direct, through routes, particularly where the centre is dispersed.
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 26 of 42
Fig 13: Bus routes should serve multiple stops within a dispersed centre like Sunshine
A network of direct and turn-up-and-go routes with easy interchange between them. By directing several routes to travel this “core section”, this will provide an effective frequency of less than 5 minutes between buses (e.g. station to shopping centre or University). This is how Swanston St works in Melbourne’s CBD and should be the basis for a Sunshine bus redesign.
Currently, there are 15 routes that terminate at Sunshine Station, but only 3 that travel up Hampshire Rd. Moving the bus layover to near Victoria University would immediately provide a strong public transport core route linking key parts of the precinct.
The following diagram illustrates how by pairing bus services and simplifying routes, a stronger network can be created which links the different parts of Sunshine and has more frequent, direct services to SHWEP and St Albans.
Fig 14: Example of how the Sunshine bus network could be restructured
The thickest lines are routes running every 10 min, medium lines every 20 min and the fine line route would run every 30 or 40 min. There would be buses every minute down Hampshire Rd.
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 27 of 42
4. Local bus network reform and simplification.
There needs to be a regional review of bus routes in Brimbank to develop such a plan for a comprehensive restructure of routes. This would need an injection of more resources but it would also make much better use of the existing routes. The objective would be to upgrade current services and to extend operating hours for other routes – particularly at night and weekends.
Potential upgrades to deliver more frequent services include:
• Route 216 Sunshine to City (via South Rd and Footscray) Upgrade to every 10 min weekday, 20 min night and weekends. Extend to Victoria University to provide more destination options for travellers.
• Route 220 Ballarat Rd. Megabus There are several bus routes along Ballarat Rd., but none have the high frequency and profile needed. Ballarat Rd is home to the Footscray and Albion campuses of Victoria University campuses and the new Footscray Hospital. Also the corridor’s main routes The MegaBus would deliver a single simple route with an all-day 5–10-minute frequency between Sunshine, Ballarat Rd, Footscray, Docklands and the CBD. It would have high quality stops and bus priority. Ultimately it could be upgraded to light rail. This is part of the Brimbank 2050 vision– but potentially needed much earlier.
• Route 410 Sunshine to Footscray (via Churchill Avenue) Reroute off Ballarat Rd to operate consistently operate via Churchill Av (currently 410 follows an inconsistent route with an hourly deviation). Operate a consistent 15 min peak/20 min off-peak 7-day service with longer hours.
• Route 426 Caroline Springs to Sunshine Upgrade to every 15 minutes to Caroline Springs Town Centre. This would provide a simpler Ballarat Rd service connecting with trains at Albion. Potential for a SmartBus route, merging with Route 410 to provide east-west route through Sunshine.
• Route 408 St Albans to Highpoint via SHWEP and Sunshine Upgrade with longer hours and Sunday upgrade to every 20 minutes. Would improve access to Sunshine Hospital. Potential western extension along Furlong Rd to Brimbank SC for improved hospital access in conjunction with other network changes.
• New Watergardens – Sunshine route (via Sunshine Ave and McIntyre Rd). Formed by extending Route 419 to Sunshine with Route 406 extended west to St Albans to serve Main St East. Would operate every 20 min or better 7 days and better connect Sunshine with close in areas to the north.
These are all modest cost upgrades which can be implemented independently of waiting for the Metro Rail Tunnel opening. They mainly utilise existing bus resources but make better use of them and provide more direct connections to key destinations.
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 28 of 42
5. SmartBus to Highpoint, Essendon, and the Eastern suburbs.
Rerouting the 903 orbital to run via Highpoint would provide a high-quality link from Sunshine to Highpoint and Essendon via Braybrook, better connecting local activity centres. The cost of doing this is negligible but there would need to be some complementary local bus reforms.
The current route partly runs on the Western Ring Road and is not the best alignment for interconnecting major activity centres. The proposed alternative is shorter and likely to attract higher patronage
Several simple variations to bus routes could significantly improve the orbital route network in advance of the western section of the Suburban Rail loop:
• Re-route the 903 Orbital bus via Highpoint to link it to the northern suburbs (and make some consequential adjustments to other local buses in the area to maintain coverage)
• Upgrade the overcrowded 220 bus to SmartBus frequency and increase peak services
Fig 15: Realigning the 903 Smart Bus to improve north to western suburbs connections
These rearrangements would largely use existing bus resources – with additional funding needed to upgrade the 220 to Smartbus standards. It could take some time to plan as part of an overall area bus network reorganisation.
However, the benefits for passengers would be substantial and the cost modest.
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 29 of 42
6. Walking and cycling access improvements.
Major parts of Sunshine are not realistically walkable from their closest stations for a significant part of the community (older, disability, children etc). Many facilities are a kilometre apart and an unattractive hike, often through carparks and across busy streets.
• Sunshine Marketplace; 600 metres from Sunshine and 900 metres from Albion • Victoria University campus; 900 metres from Albion • Sunshine Hospital, 800 metres from Ginifer Station. The Glengala residential precinct in Sunshine West was one of three pilots undertaken as part of Plan Melbourne, to assess the 20-Minute neighbourhood concept. The study in 2018 produced a Walkability Assessment Report which identified numerous local options and provided the Brimbank Council withs preliminary recommendations.
Brimbank Council is improving pedestrian and cycling access to town centres to encourage walking and cycling. The prime example is the wide footpaths, artworks and traffic calming measures along Hampshire Rd which are creating a much more appealing central spine.
Fig 16: Pedestrian upgrade in Hampshire Rd
Yet significantly more investment is needed to entice more people to cycle as an alternative to driving. Brimbank Council is advocating for:
• Victorian Government investment to build safe, well-lit off road cycle paths. • Connecting the missing links between key cycle routes within Brimbank. • More bicycle parking at railway stations and town centres. • Completion of the east-west link along the rail line from Sunshine to Derrimut. • Completion of a cycleway along St Albans Road, from Sunshine to Watergardens. Local bike advocacy group BrimBUG also echoes these concerns, but also notes that a number of the Council recent works also do not fully connect, including the new Hampshire Road works. Importantly also, BrimBUG advocates for the inclusion of a bike route along the Airport Rail route, including the proposed major bridges . It should be made quite possible to cycle to the Airport in the future, as is not unusual in other countries.
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 30 of 42
4. SUNSHINE AS A FUTURE TRANSPORT HUB Failure to comply with the Transport Integration Act
The process for planning for new rail facilities in Victoria has been shrouded in secrecy. Announcements are made, it appears, after all the key decisions have been taken. The public are ignored until the very end when consultation is limited to the design of artwork and placement of open space facilities.
This is a sharp conflict with the actual requirements of the Transport Integration Act 2010.
In Part 2 the Act spells out the objectives for transport planning as: • Social and economic inclusion • Economic prosperity • Environmental sustainability • Integration of transport and land use • Efficiency, coordination, and reliability • Safety and health and wellbeing In Division 3 it goes further to spell out the principles for decision making as including integrated decision making, triple bottom line assessment and equity
The principle of stakeholder engagement and community participation is defined in s20 as:
(a) considering the interests of stakeholders, including transport system users and members of the local community.
(b) adopting appropriate processes for stakeholder engagement.
These objectives and decision making principles seem to count for nothing in the way that the Sunshine related projects are being pursued without proper consultation, without an integrated approach and disregarding the dramatic negative impacts on Sunshine of the proposed design.
Even transport integration requirements are being ignored notwithstanding the obvious need for road improvements in Albion which are bypassed by the proposed viaduct.
All of this is being done in the absence of a proper Transport Plan . Section 63 of the TIA puts an explicit obligation on the government to periodically prepare such a Plan.
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 31 of 42
4.1 Sunshine after the Metro Rail Tunnel (2025-2029) Despite the expectations created by talk of a Transport Superhub there are proposed to be minimal changes to Sunshine station when the new Metro Rail Tunnel opens in 2025.
By 2022, Sunshine will see platforms 1 and 2 extended to the south and works on the overall Sunbury line to upgrade power and signalling. The $2 billion Sunbury line upgrade is currently being delivered without any clear statement of whether this will result in any upgrades in services prior to 2025.
Once the Metro tunnel is complete in 2025, new trains in the form of the longer High Capacity Metro Trains (HCMTs) will travel from the Sunbury line via the 5 new stations and connect to Pakenham and Cranbourne, instead of the route around the City Loop. It is likely these services will be subject to significant disruptions as the Airport Rail link is built.
Until the Airport Rail Link commences in 2029, it is understood there will be 6 trains an hour off peak through the Metro Rail Tunnel. In the east these will come 3 from Pakenham and 3 from Cranbourne (giving both a 20-minute frequency, as is currently the case). These will go 6 to Watergardens (with 3 continuing to Sunbury).
In the peak hours, 12 trains per hour will originate from Pakenham and Cranbourne (giving both a 10-minute frequency and run through to Watergardens and Sunbury. All services will share Platforms 1 and 2 at Sunshine and from a commuter perspective the only change will be in the destination displays.
Section 3 above, lists the many things that should be done in the lead up to improve train and bus services and provide the stimulus for growth in the heart of Sunshine.
There are also modest upgrades to the Sunshine station that could be undertaken prior to the Metro opening. The most significant would be a new underpass at the northern end connecting the bus interchange to City Place which would increase capacity and reconnect the east and west of the station.
Constructing the escalators (dropped from the RRL design at the last minute) and revamping the wayfinding and signage would be simple improvements that could be delivered sooner than 2025. Currently the V/Line trains to Melton, Geelong, Ballarat, and Bendigo use a different system for departure information than the metro trains – making it difficult to change trains.
An alternative concept suggested by some could be to extend Sunshine platforms (1 and 2) northwards by 150 metres and construct a second concourse with direct links to Hampshire Rd and Chaplin Reserve. This would bring the station access closer to the major shopping centre and provide more pedestrian friendly access.
However, it would not connect to the V/Line trains on Platform 3 and 4 or the long term plan for two additional platforms under the Western Rail plan (which are likely to be further south).
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 32 of 42
4.2 Sunshine after the Melbourne Airport Rail Link (2029)
Once the Airport Rail Link is complete, it is understood the trains that previously turned around at the specially built platform at West Footscray, will continue to the Airport – giving a 10-minute frequency service and a capacity of 9,000 passengers an hour with the new HCMT trains.
These will continue to use Platforms 1 and 2 which will have up to 18 trains an hour in the peak (3.3-minute headways) and 12 an hour off peak (5-minute headways). Off-peak, the Airport will be the destination for half of the trains on Platform 1 and 2 with the other half going to Watergardens and Sunbury.
There will, however, be more V/Line passengers seeking to change at Sunshine moving from Platforms 1 and 2. Given most will be dragging luggage, the existing lifts may prove insufficient.
The MARL trains will be the standard HCMT trains, which have a different seating configuration to the current Alstom and Siemens trains with more standing area – a problem for Airport travellers. In addition there will be no special provision for luggage.
It is expected the Airport trains will run express to Sunshine and Footscray and then stop at all stations. Sunbury trains will serve the other stations – meaning a change is needed for other western suburbs travellers heading to the Airport
The MARL website says all trains will service 31 stations – seemingly all stations east of Caulfield on the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines – implying there will be no special expresses to reduce the length of the journey and every eastern suburb station will have direct access.
VTAG has previously proposed that MARL trains should have purpose designed layouts and run express to Caulfield and terminate. This could be made possible by a new concourse and fifth platform to enable travellers to make interchange connections. This would make much more efficient use of the special trains and involve an extra change for a small proportion of travellers.
Budget cuts
The latest cost estimate for MARL is between $8 billion and $13 billion.
This is a 50% variation – and somewhat surprising given the original costing for a full project, - including purpose-built trains and a tunnel from Sunshine to the City was $10 billion.
It appears “half a project” will cost up to 30% more than the original.
This is surprising given that the previous planned expenditures on the Sunshine SuperHub have been axed and the dismal Albion station has been ruled “out of scope” for the MARL and will not be rebuilt (unlike many other stations impacted by Level Crossing Removal projects.
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 33 of 42
4.3 The proposed Albion viaduct The concept of building an Airport Rail Line has long had wide public support but the final plan has been developed within government without any process for public involvement.
The most egregious aspect is of course the massive proposed twin viaduct over Albion. This will be around 25 metres high – twice the height of the Caulfield- Oakleigh Skyrail
Some design concepts for MARL have been released, but there is yet to be full scrutiny of the proposal. No announcement has been made about whether there will be an environmental effects statement or even a public panel hearing on the design.
At this stage, a pair of new viaducts, two kilometres long, are proposed which will start north of the H.V.McKay footbridge and rise 25 metres to pass above the Ballarat Rd and St Albans Rd. rail overpasses before joining the Jacana corridor after McIntyre Rd.
Fig 17: Concept diagram of the viaducts above Albion station (looking south to Sunshine) compared to the same view in the Brimbank Council Sunshine Vision 2050 plan
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 34 of 42
Whilst the original Skyrail from Caulfield to Oakleigh was eventually well received, the less attractive design of the Coburg version has been more controversial.
In the case of Sunshine, there will be no offsetting benefit as the rail corridor will remain at ground level and there will be less, rather than more open space after the project and no additional opportunities to link the two sides of Sunshine. Because the viaduct will also pass above the two road overpasses it will be very high and a major blot on the landscape of this historic Albion neighbourhood, particularly the heritage precinct at John Darling Mill.
There will also be two additional tracks constructed from Sunshine Station to just before Albion to enable the Bendigo V/Line trains to bypass the section of tracks shared with MARL (This means that they still have to share tracks with 12 peak period Watergardens/Sunbury trains and six off- peak trains per hour from Albion onwards).
There is a track diagram included in recently released tender documents that show the proposed configuration. This confirms the minimal change for Sunshine and Albion stations. It does indicate how the proposed additional tracks for the Western Rail plan will be located on western side with presumably two additional platforms and the southern concourse shown on the plan. The diagram can be interpreted as providing for a standard gauge platform on the east side – but DOT has previously ruled this out.
Figure 18 Proposed track configuration for the viaduct option
The previous provision for a future grade separation of the Melton and Bendigo RRL tracks appears to have been dropped and broad- gauge freight links into Tottenham are to be removed. This is a narrow short-term design dependent on a massive viaduct that disregards its surroundings. The rail corridor already has room for additional tracks, and it is seriously doubted that the viaduct proposal is the best long-term solution – and may not even be the cheapest.
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 35 of 42
There needs to be a proper public process to assess the alternatives available:
1. An at grade solution
A flyover could be built between the H.V.MacKay footbridge and Albion to separate the Sunbury trains from the MARL trains and merge them with the extended RRL tracks on the west side of the corridor. This would facilitate a new Albion station, integrated with the adjacent heritage development with a modern concourse over the tracks to the east, to link into the north of the CBD
This gap between the H.V.McKay footbridge and the extended station is 700 metres in length. The flyover could be similar to the existing RRL flyover east of Footscray, which is only 400 metres long and 10 metres high. Such a flyover would be a quarter the length and half the height of the proposed viaduct. It would avoid any visual impact on the Albion station precinct, with the new station built at grade, just west of the current location.
The MARL tracks will continue at grade and can easily pass below modified overpasses at St Albans and McIntyre Rds., if necessary, lowering the tracks. The argument that it would be “too disruptive” to undertake roadworks on these roads does not stack up when the high cost of a viaduct is put against it. There are many situations in the Big Build where road bridges have been built or altered with a few short periods of disruption.
The disruption that would be caused by the viaduct would be permanent – blighting the area and killing any prospect of development.
The argument about the alignment of the oil pipeline in the Jacana corridor needs to be spelt out and investigated. It may not actually be a restricting factor at this point.
2. A tunnel solution
If there are complications with the above option, then a short tunnel could be designed to take the outbound MARL tracks under the inbound Sunbury line immediately north of Albion station and under St Albans Rd before returning to at grade. This option would have nil visual impact.
This would be a distance of some 500 metres allowing a cut and cover tunnel at 10 metres depth with 2% grades. The additional tracks for V/Line trains would extend to north of the Albion junction and then straight merge with the Sunbury electrified tracks.
There may be a future need for grade separation of the V/Line tracks at Sunshine junction, but it is not apparently a priority at this stage.
It is hard to imagine that either of these options is more expensive than a 2-kilometre viaduct and the reasons given for them being rejected have not been disclosed.
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 36 of 42
4.4 Sunshine North to the Airport Beyond McIntyre Rd, the MARL will run at grade alongside the existing Jacana freight tracks. This should be relatively easy to achieve. The main drawback, being that it makes this corridor even more of a barrier for the adjoining suburbs. There is only one road over the rail line and two at- grade pedestrian crossings – effectively cutting Sunshine North into two parts.
The extra bridge across the Maribyrnong is a given and is a less contentious part of the proposal, except for the proposed exclusion of walking or cycling access.
The major works needed are a 550-metre-long rail bridge 50 metres above the Maribyrnong River (parallel to the existing bridge) and a flyover of the freeway at Airport West
Fig 19: Concept design for the Maribyrnong Bridge, north of the existing tracks
The MARL follows the reserved corridor into the Airport to a still undisclosed location for the Airport station. Again there is no public discussion about where the station will end up. It is quite possible that a substandard outcome might be reached on financial grounds. One only has to compare the inconvenient Brisbane Airport station with the eminently accessible Sydney pair of stations to see what a difference good design and integration with airport terminals can achieve.
Keilor East station
The planning scheme makes provision for an additional station at Keilor East (immediately north of the Calder Freeway interchange). However it seems the government is resistant to this being built in a location with limited development potential and in direct competition with the nearby Airport West Activity centre (unfortunately not located on the MARL route).
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 37 of 42
4.5 Sunshine and the Western Rail Plan The Western Rail Plan was announced in October 2018 , proposing a complete overhaul of the public transport network, west of Melbourne. It was to include:
• Electrification of the metro lines to Melton and Wyndham Vale with possible new stations, with the Wyndham Vale line becoming the western section of the Suburban Rail Loop.
• the full separation of regional and metro services on the Geelong and Ballarat lines – to run express fast trains including the potential full electrification of these lines.
• Additional tracks between Sunshine and the CBD to run extra services, most likely through a new rail tunnel which would also be utilised by Airport-bound trains.
$130 million was allocated by the State and Federal Governments -just to cover the cost of planning. This plan was to be completed by 2021 and construction to start in 2023. No results of the planning have been released and the total cost and commencement date are unknown.
Sadly, it appears the whole Western Rail Plan has been shelved for now. Apparently, it will now be considered in conjunction with the $2 billion project for faster trains to Geelong. The timetable and the implications for electrification to Melton and Wyndham Vale are unknown.
Electrification to Melton and Wyndham Vale, the additional stations and the required quadruplication from Caroline Springs has been put on the back burner. This is a major disappointment. It is unclear in what form the Western Rail Plan and the renewed commitments for a Fast Train to Geelong will now take.
The development of Sunshine station precinct should be designed to include these additional lines, so they be implemented when funding is available.
Most significantly, this requires provision to be made for an additional two platforms at Sunshine to accommodate the new electric trains to Melton and Wyndham Vale. It is understood the preferred plan is to build these platforms on the south-west side of the station, a little closer to Melbourne.
It is presumed this design will deliver a new southern concourse for access to the other four platforms and improved linkages from north to south across the rail corridor.
The additional pair of Melton/ Wyndham Vale tracks will need a corridor to run from Sunshine to West Footscray, and a new tunnel from there to North Melbourne or Southern Cross. Another possible route is to electrify two broad gauge lines from Sunshine to Newport and link this into the proposed Melbourne Metro 2 tunnel from Newport to Southern Cross via Fishermans Bend.
Given the MARL design now being proposed (which cuts off options envisaged as recently as 2018) it is important to resolve this issue of “what comes next” as part of the assessment of the MARL project. Reservations need to be put in place to ensure the growth of Sunshine does not further limit a good solution in future – and conversely that the development of Sunshine is not held back by uncertainty as transport engineers keep their options open.
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 38 of 42
4.6 Sunshine and the Suburban Rail Loop There is a lot of confusion about MARL and the SRL. The government has backtracked to say that MARL and the Western Rail Plan will “deliver the SRL in the west”. By implication, the SRL will only run in the east and north and terminate at the Airport (which is why a third Airport platform is apparently required).
Government statements have also clarified that the SRL will be of radically different technology to conventional heavy rail being used for MARL and the Metro Tunnel with shorter trains (probably driverless) running at frequent intervals. It was also recently inferred that SRL tracks would be standard gauge in lieu of the broad gauge used on Metro lines and much of the regional network. It could even use a different electrical system buying off the shelf, overseas.
Moreover, there is a lot of difference between two services that are basically radial into the city (but intersect at Sunshine) with an actual orbital service. Someone travelling from Broadmeadows to Werribee would need to change three times - at the Airport, Sunshine and Wyndham Vale – which is hardly what was proposed when the SRL maps were first released.
The SRL West will only work well if it is a true orbital service and has multiple stops
SRL maps still show a line to Werribee, separate to the Wyndham Vale line but it appears from government statements that the proposal west of the Airport is dead. This is short sighted.
While not without its challenges, an SRL Western service could share tracks between the Airport and Sunshine with stops at Airport West, Keilor East, Solomon Heights and Sunshine North. It could utilise the standard Metro type trains and be distinguished from MARL by stopping at local stations between the Airport and Sunshine – such as Keilor East, Solomon Heights and Sunshine North
Rather than putting further pressure on the Wyndham Vale line, a more effective route may be to extend the SRL to Newport on the existing rail corridor with stops at Wright St, Yarraville Gardens and Kingsville – serving the major redevelopment in Altona North.
This would complete the loop of Melbourne provide a direct connection to the Williamstown, Altona and Werribee lines. This route would actually connect all of Melbourne’s western suburbs.
It would be considerably cheaper than the initial concept and serve a large potential catchment. 4.7 Sunshine and standard gauge passenger services There has been a long-standing proposal to re-instate the platform that used to enable standard gauge passenger trains to stop at Sunshine. This is hinted at the track diagram released above (Fig 18) but not part of the MARL proposal. The only other possible location for an interchange is Broadmeadows and this has far fewer benefits than for the north east trains stopping at Sunshine.
Including a standard gauge platform at Sunshine Superhub would allow residents from communities north and east of Seymour to change trains at Sunshine and connect easily with Metro services, Regional Rail Link or the Airport Rail Link.
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 39 of 42
This will become more important as the standard gauge conversion of the Shepparton line is completed. Broad gauge trains will only run to Wallan and other communities along the Shepparton and Wodonga lines will be seriously disadvantaged.
The Craigieburn line will ultimately be electrified on broad gauge tracks as far as Wallan and run via Upfield. Although no timetable has been set, the corridor is already rapidly developing.
The Mayors of the City of Wodonga and Albury City Council have recently made representations to the Victorian Premier as “Two Cities One Community” on the critical need for such standard gauge platform at Sunshine to meet the needs of passengers from North Eastern Victoria. They highlight that other options would be “an inefficient and complicated substitute for a quality train connection at Sunshine Station.” 4.9 Sunshine and freight
Currently the Jacana rail corridor comprises one standard gauge track and one broad gauge track – half of the latter has been upgraded to dual gauge. It is used by both freight and standard gauge passenger trains from the North East and proposed for rail/port shuttles from Somerton, There is also a major oil pipeline near the western boundary of the corridor which would be expensive to move if required over its entire length.
However, with the standardisation of the Goulburn Valley line, probably within the decade, will mean the only remaining broad gauge freight service will be the quarry train taking ballast from Kilmore to Westall.
Given the need to realign these tracks to fit the MARL tracks in key locations, it would be desirable to upgrade the corridor so that it provides two standard gauge lines the whole distance, with one being dual gauge if needed. This upgrade should happen as part of the MARL project to secure a high-capacity freight link to the west.
The medium-term plan is to develop the Western Interstate Freight Terminal and build a new orbital freight link on the alignment of the Outer Metro Ring Road (OMR) resulting in the majority of freight trains diverting onto this corridor south of Wallan. This will release capacity on the Jacana corridor for around 50 passenger train movements per day from/to Seymour/Shepparton, Albury and Sydney.
Some argue this will be needed by 2030, but the very high cost of the OMR may see the timeframe delayed and the Jacana link required for freight for a longer period.
Currently there is only one standard gauge track from Albion to south of Sunshine, This runs past Sunshine station on the east side. This section may need duplication, so the land should be reserved to enable this to occur, without disrupting the future operation of the station. 4.8 Expand and reorganise trams in the west The old Footscray tram network had a sorry history and was never fully integrated with the rest of Melbourne’s tram system. In particular, lines were closed, and the network was never extended; so coverage is far less than in eastern and northern suburbs.
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 40 of 42
There is an opportunity to create a new network of three tram routes around a hub of Highpoint West to interconnect Sunshine, Footscray and Moonee Ponds.
This requires 6.1 km of new double track to Sunshine, 3.4 km to extend trams to Milleara SC and 2.2 km single track to provide a loop to service the proposed Maribyrnong Defence site development. (This would be part paid for by the developer).
The costs are hard to estimate but based on an estimated $30 m /kilometre 2 could total $180 m, plus the cost of say 10 extra trams - or $300 m for all three components. There are no major bridgeworks involved (a modest structure will be required to cross the Maribyrnong River in West Maribyrnong) and Melbourne is well experienced with extending trams in existing roads (for instance Toorak Rd West, and Plenty Road, Bundoora).
The Ballarat Rd section involved has a median strip which could be rebuilt to separate the tram and the intersection of Churchill Avenue/ Hampstead Rd could be realigned in the process to improve the north south road network (when Ashley St and Paramount St are duplicated this would become "the Springvale Rd of the west"). Another option would be to go down Churchill Avenue/ Devonshire Rd St through the heart of the Braybrook and Sunshine residential area – although this is narrow in parts. One option would be new generation “trackless trams” (large electric buses).
Ideally trams would take a more direct route down Rosamond Rd, through Highpoint West shopping centre itself; but for the moment they have their own indirect right of way and a Superstop in place at each end. Another extension along Milleara Rd to service Avondale Heights would also redress the imbalance of a lack of trams in the western suburbs.
Fig 20: Potential extension of trams from Highpoint to Sunshine
Single track loop New double track
New double track
2 In 2014 DTF published a cost estimate for tram extensions of based on $15 million per kilometre, with additional costs for platform stops ($1.7m each), works for major intersections ($2.8m each), substations (for extensions over 5 kilometres $5m each) and terminus works ($5m each).
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 41 of 42
5. CONCLUSION The above discussion demonstrates there is a long way to go in developing Sunshine as the “capital of the western suburbs”. There is a yawning gap between the rhetoric and the reality.
There has been an absence of proper public consultation and disclosure of the proposed rail designs and their alternatives. Whilst expectations have been high about the revolution that the Metro Tunnel will bring, the reality in the west is there will be little change.
The Airport Rail Link needs a lot more public discussion about the proposed design, the cost and how it will be used to regenerate the economy of Sunshine and surrounding centres.
Both of these projects remain fairly distant – four and eight years, respectively.
The recent release of concept plans for the Albion rail viaduct and the Expression of Interest specifications for the Sunshine Albion area has focused attention on what is being done to the Sunshine community by the Transport bureaucracy rather than with the Sunshine Albion community with its Sunshine Priority Precinct Future Vision 2050 in hand. The misalignment of Airport Rail plans with the community’s Future Vision 2050 is striking.
The local community and key stakeholders having provided 2100 inputs to Brimbank Council’s Victorian government sponsored community consultation on the Future Vision 2050 are now questioning the gaps between their Future Vision 2050 and the expectations raised by senior political figures in 2018 of a new Southern Cross at Sunshine Superhub with increased investment, more retail, urban design improvements, green corridors and jobs and employment growth.
The local community wants to see:
• The Sunshine Priority Precinct Vision 2050 it developed at the request of the Victorian government over a two year period implemented in a way that respects rather than ignores the transformative spirit and intent behind it
• The Albion rail viaduct proposal dropped, and the Albion Station built into the ground in line with concept plans set out in the Future Vision 2050 document and
• Sunshine SuperHub to be designed and built in line with raised community expectations set in 2018 prior to elections and closely aligned to the community Future Vision 2050 documentation
In the meantime there are a lot of low cost, easily implemented improvements that can pave the way by making it easier to get around, to grow Sunshine as a hub, prepare the ground for new bus and rail services and better connect its parts.
It is time to put the plans on the table and open up to discussion of alternatives. It is unlikely that the development sector will push the button on new plans until they are confident about what will be delivered and how it will transform Sunshine and bring it from the shadows.
A broader engagement on current Transport Plans for the area alongside up to date Land Use Plans is now essential and urgent.
Bringing Sunshine out of the Shadows Page 42 of 42